On the way to find Baba Yaga the party met a group of panicked villagers who ran right past them. Close behind were four humanoid creatures and two dog-like creatures. They were some kind of corrupted plant creatures made of twisting black and purple vines.
A viscous battle began that saw several party members go unconscious at different times, only to be revived by Dodgy. Stevnar was overwhelmed at one point, dropped into unconsciousness, only to have one of the creatures strike him several more times to ensure he was dead. Even in the middle of battle the party was shocked.
Gatonio remembered, from way back when the party fist met, Baba Migori gave them a twisted root and said if anyone ever died, stab it in their heart. Near death himself, Gatonio couldn't see a way to get to Stevnar and survive. Still he dug it out of his backpack and the moment Eluine saw it, he shouted at Gatonio to throw it to him.
With a quick flick of the wrist, Gatonio tossed the root to Eluine. Eluine secured the root to an arrow, said a quick prayer to the Margreve, and shot it at Stevnar. It was a perfect shot, better than any he'd made before. The arrow sunk the root in Stevnar's heart and moments later Stevnar rejoined the battle. After that, it was quick (though hard) work defeating the rest of the corrupted plant creatures.
The villagers, it turned out, were headed to Baba Yaga to entreat with her. A sage told them she had cursed the Margreve and that's why fires wouldn't light anymore. They traveled with the party but refused to go into her house.
Inside the house, Baba Yaga admitted she'd cursed the Margreve to stop all fires because someone had stolen the cinders from her fire. Until she got them back her curse would remain in place. She knew who stole the cinders, but she was trying to figure out why, or really who was behind it. The party suggested she try and scry Kerok, and gave her a brief summary of what they knew about him.
The party followed a magical trail which led them to some cages where werewolves were stacking the bodies of the corrupted plant creatures they'd killed. After some tense negotiations, (and an invitation to Eluine to join them) they parted peacefully and the party spoke with a young man, who the magical trail led them to.
Dimitri admitted to stealing the cinders from Baba Yaga, to dry out the cloak of his beloved (Elena) which would release her from a Vodyanoi that had captured her. He took the cinders to the Vodyanoi and it grabbed them and sank beneath the water. Dimitri was had no time to think of what to do because he was instantly chased and caged by the corrupted plant-people.
He agreed to help the party get the cinders back as long as he could use them to dry out Elena's cloak and release her from the watery grave the Vodyanoi kept her in. On the way to the Vodyanoi's lair the party was stopped by Elena. She warned them the vodyanoi planned to give the cinders to Kerok (although she didn't know his name) in exchange for the power to rule over this party of the Margreve. She also revealed Dimitri was a werewolf. Everyone was cool with that, especially Eluine.
The battle with the Vodyanoi looked like it was going to be rough, but then Lavaell summoned four giant octopi that surrounded the vodyanoi and drug him out of the water. The two water elementals were dispatched with minor trouble (to the horror of Gatonio he got completely soaked several times during this combat).
Dimitri dried out Elena's shawl, releasing her from the vodyanoi's spell. Rather than be alone, Dimitri joined Elena in passing into the afterlife, leaving behind a Margreve Fur as thanks to the party. Elena told the party to take some rose petals and brew tea for Baba Yaga and she might grant them a favor.